Together
by starz454
Summary: Summary: Rory meets with the guidance counselor who informs her that in order for Rory to get into an Ivy League university she needs more extra curriculars. So does Paris. The two decide to write/direct a play in Stars Hollow.
1. On paper

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Pairing: R/J 

Summary: Rory meets with the guidance counselor who informs her that in order for Rory to get into an Ivy League university she needs more extra curricular. So does Paris. The two decide to write/direct a play in Stars Hollow.

AN: Only the first chapter is in Diary Format.

Rory

Dear Diary,

Ok, well that's actually a pretty weird way to start this one time entry. Whatever. I just have felt really weird lately about my life. And now with the play thing. I guess I should start at the beginning.

About a week ago my guidance counsellor decided to tell me that If I want to get into Harvard I need more community service and more extra curicualr activities. So I think 'hey no problem,' then I realize that I have nothing to do. So I decide to kill to birds with one stone and find a way to do an extra curicullar and community service at the same time. My idea was to direct a play and charge money that I would donate to a charity but I was seriously lacking two things. 1) Help and money 2) A play. So I talked to Paris. Despite everything I've gone through with her I decided that she was the only Chilton student that I could turn to for help. Plus she could provide me with the two things that I needed. I knew that Paris had written a romantic play for her drama class last year and that she would probably jump at the chance to gain more community service and extra activities. So now I'm co-directing a teen love story written by Paris herself. Whoever thought that she was a romantic. 

Onto my new topic, Jess. Unbeknownst to Dean we've been hanging out a lot lately. Not doing anything that would qualify as romance. Every Saturday afternoon we catch a movie or browse the bookstore. Beside's Lane he's probably my best friend. I know that Dean would go postal if he knew that we were hanging out, that's the only reason I haven't said anything to him because I know that I love him. I don't want to lose Dean, but even more so I don't want to lose Jess. And that's where my dilemma stands. Does not wanting to lose someone qualify as supreme like or even love? Is it possible to love two people at once? I don't know if I will ever find out if Dean and I stay together. 

Jess

For the first little while I found it strange to commit my innermost thoughts and desires to paper for no reason. And then I found a reason. It made me feel so much better. I've worked out a lot more on paper than I have elsewhere. Believe Me. So I have a problem. Two actually. The first is the fact that I have to try out for some sissy ass musical that I've never heard of written by someone named Paris. It just takes away from my Rory time. Which brings me to the next problem. Her name is Rory and I can't stop thinking about her. She's taken, yet she's everything I wish I had. So I guess avoidance is key. Too bad we hang out every Saturday. Maybe I can use the weirdo play as an excuse. 


	2. Out loud

Spoilers: Maybe eventually not now

Feedback: Please. Please Pretty please!!!!!

Rating: PG

FOR SOME REASON I CAN"T GIVE ANY ONE REVIEWS CAUSE THE STUPID WINDOW WON"T OPEN SO HERE THEY ARE

Good going anonymous writer. Love the new R/J fic it rocks. KEEP GOING!!!!!! One of the best

Isabelle: No offense not a big fan of the dirty stuff but the first three chapters were good.

Rory taped up the last flyer in the hallway of Stars Hollow High. They were starting auditions the following day at Chilton and would look in Stars Hollow the day after. She was in for a busy week. They were renting out the stage in Stars Hollow because it was cheaper for them and easier since the majority of Chilton students had cars or friends with cars while the citizens of Stars Hollow High did not. Besides Rory speculated that there was more talent in Stars Hollow. 

The following afternoon about ten people showed up for auditions and Rory began to worry as she handed out the scripts. The Chilton community wasn't exactly enthusiastic. Still, they found a bit of talent. Louise blew them away with her amazing characterization as Emily, the lead. She looked good at pretending to be in love. They weren't making any final decisions that day but Louise looked pretty good. They found a few prospects for a few other small characters but they were still in need of the male lead and at least ten other characters. 

The next day Rory was surprised to find at least thirty people standing around in the Stars Hollow High auditorium. 

He pushed open the door and hurried in. Then he saw her sitting on the edge of the stage swinging her legs back and forth. She was holding a really thick folder. She turned to a girl with blond hair and called "now this is the kind of turn out that we need." Jess smiled and wandered over to the stage. She looked at him, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm supposed to audition."

"Why?"

"Well, there was a certain incident involving a chalk board eraser and a head that I would prefer not to revisit." She laughed and handed him a script. "You're in charge?" He asked surprised. So much for avoidance.

Rory stood up on the stage and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Can you guys sit down?" Everyone quieted and sat down near the front. "Hi, my name is Rory Gilmore. I go to Chilton but I live here as most of you know." She gestured to the severe looking blond next to her. "This is Paris, we go to school together. She wrote the play and will be designing the sets as well as co-directing and producing with me. I'll give you a brief run through of the story. It's your basic Harry-met-Sally love story. There's a new guy who comes to town and befriends a studious girl who already has a boyfriend. They turn out to have a lot in common, fallen in love etc. There are a few romantic scenes and room for about thirteen roles. If you don't make it we encourage you to try out for stage crew because we're going to need a lot of help with set construction. Guys come and see me for your parts; you have ten minutes to read over them before the reading starts. Girls see Paris, be back in ten." 

Ten minutes later Rory and Paris sat down in the chairs. The pairs of boys and girls read. Rory and Paris pleasantly filled almost all of the roles except for the male lead. As the final pair exited the stage they were worried. "I still have to go," a voice said. Rory saw Jess standing alone in the empty auditorium. 

"I'll read with you," Rory volunteered taking the stage. Paris had chosen a fairly romantic scene for the audition but Jess needed a partner.

Jess looked at his first line and began to read the part of Dave, under his impression, a guy pretty similar to himself. "I still don't understand," he recited steadily without looking at the page. Rory glanced down.

"Don't understand what?"

"Why."

"What are you talking about?"

"Never mind," he replied bitterly.

"I'm not letting you leave until you tell me. You 're my friend, friends tell each other what they feel."

"Why…" He stammered mistakenly looking into her eyes.

"What what?"

"Why I can't kiss you." He ended the scene quietly staring at the floor.

Rory smiled, Jess was a really good actor. Paris began to applaud and Rory stepped back joining in. Paris glanced at Rory who nodded in return. "You've got the part."

Jess

What can I say I've become a slave to the paper? I have this hunger to write about my feelings. Maybe it's just hormones. There's only one thing I have to say tonight before I sleep. When I said those lines on stage today with Rory, I wasn't lying.


	3. In rehearsal

AN: I don't own anything. Sorry for the shortness of this chapter I haven't got any time type anymore. 

REVIEW: So that stupid window still won't come up so here is my review. Its for Lucia Marin who wrote Crash and Burn: You are the best writer I have ever read on this site.. You use amazing descriptive sentences, yet the economy of your words is amazing. It's the best fanfic that I have read in my life. I've strived to write like you do all of my life. Please write more, you have amazing ideas and great characterization. Great WOrk

Rory posted the cast list the following afternoon. Louise had indeed won the part of Emily and Jess the part of Dave. The cast of thirteen was very equal between the schools with seven students from Stars Hollow High and six from Chilton. Luckily all six of the Chilton students had cars so transportation to Stars Hollow wouldn't be a problem. The next rehersal was scheduled for the following Saturday afternoon. She hoped everything would go alright. Hopefully Paris wouldn't lose too much money in this whole event.

The following afternoon she hopped up on the stage of Stars Hollow High swinging her legs back and forth. Paris was pacing around the room obviously nervous for their first rehersal. Most of the cast Rory knew or once knew. She figured the only person they might have to worry about was Jess, who Rory vowed to coach. He was an amazing actor and he might just show the citizens of Stars Hollow how great he was, as long as he worked. 

"Hey," he greeted her hopping up on the edge of the stage next to her.

"Hey, " she smiled handing him his script. "I highlighted all of your lines." He aimlessly flipped through the script.

"No problem," he said wiggling his eyebrows. "Is she ok?" He asked gesturing to Paris who had now flopped down on a chair and staring at the ceiling. Rory laughed. 

"Paris is an intense, perfectionist possibly insane defensive chick."

"She looks really tired."

"My mom and I concluded that she doesn't exactly sleep. She just periodically makes a wirring noise and shuts down." He laughed appreciatevly as the rest of the cast arrived and sat down. The rehersal went smoothly, Jess and Louise seemed to get along ok, which was beneficial because they had to share a lot of romance scenes. They spent the afternoon running through the first scene of the play and setting the rest of the rehersal dates to match with everyone's schedule. 

When it ended Jess, followed Rory out the door. "It's pretty well written," he said without looking at her as they walked down the street. Rory nodded.

"Paris is good at everything. You read it?"

"Yeah, it's pretty long. It took me about an hour and I read quickly."

"Tell me about it, I don't know if we should crop it or not."

"There isn't really anything to crop."

"That's the problem."


	4. gone

AN Thanks for the reviews. I don't know if this story is going to go the way that you think it will. Only one more chapter after this. 

So they worked. Almost every other day for a month was spent on the dusty stage in Stars Hollow, reading the same lines and running the same scenes until Rory wanted to scream. Finally the night of performance came. Paris had actually invited a few agents that her parents were friends with. Rory doubted anything would become of it but it never hurt to try. The performance went smoothly. Rory was happy with the results and even happier when the cast presented her and Paris with bouquets of roses. They received quite a bit if applause, they also raised nine hundred and sixty-four dollars for charity. 

She searched for Jess among the crowds and finally found him shaking hands with an aged man. Jess had the rare smile on. He rushed over to her. "I'm going to New York!" He said excitedly hugging Rory around the waist. 

"What happened?" She asked looking straight at him.

"That guy runs a Performing Arts school in New York. He offered me a full scholarship, I'm going to be an actor."

"That's Awesome!" She exclaimed not quite processing that he would be leaving Stars Hollow.

The next day he was gone. 

He left her a slip of paper with a phone number and an address but he didn't say good-bye.

He never did. 


	5. the return..the end

The final chapter. I might take a bit of a break from fanfic writing for a while. I've lost most of my inspiration. My writing has been pretty weak lately. See you in a few days, I might try and TRORY JORY companion fic I'm not sure yet. Thanks for the encouragement. 

He stared out the window Gratified when he saw the "Welcome to Stars Hollow" sign pass by so quickly he could barely read it. It made him smile something he didn't do often. It had been nine months, six days, two hours and twenty-one minutes since he'd left for Performing arts school, where he'd thrived. Acting was something he'd never thought of doing. She'd caught him doing it well and it had changed his life. She had changed his life. She was his first coach, first real friend, and first person he'd ever missed. She'd encouraged him and helped him. She gave him a chance to show everyone who he was. For that he was truly grateful. Whenever he was frustrated she could calm him down, whenever he was sad she could make him smile. 

She wrote him frequently, letters beginning with how are you and ending with I miss you. So much had happened to him over the year he'd have given anything to have her share those experiences with him. The next best thing was committing those experiences to paper and sending them to her in hopes that she would receive them whole-heartedly and reply. He'd submitted to snail mail because it was so much easier than picking up the phone. 

In the letters she wrote her entire year on those golden papers, mostly humorous events, like play by play bagel hockey games and Lorelei's antics involving a mouse that had taken up residence in her house. There had been a few somber letters, her grandfather passing away, Dean moving away, a fight with Lane. It was his reminder that life was still going on while his whirlwind of a year had occurred in a small inescapable bubble in New York City. There had been twenty-one letters, all that he kept and replied to by mail, unspokenly easier communication between them. She didn't know he was coming home.

Luke was the only one who knew.

As the bus drew to a stop he took a deep breath and stepped down onto the impeccably clean sidewalk that was Stars Hollow. He wanted to see her, badly but it was the afternoon and she was most likely taking a bunch of summer courses that wouldn't allow her to be home for at least two hours. Besides, he wanted her to see him first. It was part of the whole surprise thing; He hurried to the Diner and noticed that it was surprisingly empty. 

"Hey," he greeted his uncle who was standing behind the counter. Luke's neck snapped up at the sound of his voice.

"Jess, hi." He grabbed one of his nephew's bags leading him up the stairs. "How was it?"

"Fine, I like it. I got my scholarship renewed so I'm going back in September."

"Sounds good." Luke replied placing his bag on the floor. "I've got your old bed set up Nothing else has changed."

"Thanks."

Later that night Jess went for a walk wandering around to all of his favorite places, the bridge, and the giant slinky. As he exited the bookstore and hit the sidewalk he felt something hit him on the back. He snapped his head around glancing at the projectile someone had hit him with. A worn copy of Oliver Twist. 

"Dodger?" A quiet voice asked. He looked at the projectile and the pitcher standing in front of him. She threw her arms around his neck.

And he smiled.

The End


End file.
